Author James Duncan: For The Love Of Books!

My blog features my own work, books that I have written and published. I also write about my experience as a writer. I also feature other authors - both well known and promising new writers I have discovered along the way. There are also pages with links to Amazon.com and Blackwell Books, so that booklovers have the opportunity to buy any books discussed or anything else that grabs their fancy!

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Karen has it all: a handsome husband, beautiful twin daughters, a lovely home and a great job. Karen also has a secret; she’s cheating on her husband, with not one man, but two. On the outside her life seems perfect, but on the inside Karen feels neglected, bored and unappreciated. Yearning for affection and excitement, she falls into the arms of first Raheem and then Tyrell. Out of fear of losing her husband and breaking up her family, Karen ends the affairs but things don’t turn out how she planned. When Karen’s dirty secrets are revealed she must fight to keep her family together. Chris is doing all he can to hold his marriage together. He loves Karen but she grows more distant every day. When she starts coming home later and later, he suspects she is being unfaithful. When Chris accidentally takes her cell phone what he finds changes their lives forever. When tragedy strikes, Karen must decide if she should sacrifice her happiness for her husband’s love, and Chris wonders if he should stay with Karen because he still loves her despite her infidelity. But if they do stay together, will they ever find love and happiness again? Sexy and relatable, insightful and inspiring, Love and Happiness shows us both sides of Chris and Karen's story, and reminds us that sometimes to have it all, you must first lose it all.

BUY & TBR LINKS

EXCERPT

When we got home, I decided to put all our bickering aside and make love to my husband. While Chris pleased me sexually, our busy work schedules had reduced our lovemaking to mundane quickies. I knew if I was bored, he must be too.

To spice things up, I’d read magazines, watched porn, and gathered tips from my friends. He loves lacy lingerie, so I wore my black bustier, black French-cut panties, and fishnet stockings. I lit scented candles and put on soft jazz to set the ambiance in the bedroom. Chris walked in.

“Damn!” he said.

He tugged on my lingerie to take it off. I couldn’t hide my smile. His hands hungrily roamed my body.

“Easy, baby. Enjoy what you’re looking at.”

I felt self-conscious as he groped me because his earlier comment about me looking chunky, kept replaying in my mind.

We made love. I used a lot of the new ideas I learned to spice things up, but he didn’t seem to notice. Chris always has the decency to make sure I cum, but again we ended up having another quickie because he had to wake up early the next morning. He rolled over on his side and went to sleep almost immediately after. I frowned, shook my head and stared at the ceiling. Was it me? Is this how marriage was supposed to be? Had we both gotten too comfortable?

I decided I’d start going to the gym and get a personal trainer. I hoped working with a trainer would change me enough that even Chris would have to say something positive about it. I didn’t imagine how much it would change me.

AUTHOR BIO

Ben Burgess Jr is the author of the award winning novels "Monster", "Wounded", the poetry book "Times Have Changed and Life is Strange" and the new novel "Love and Happiness" He is an active performer of spoken word poetry. Ben Burgess Jr uses his love of writing to inspire and influence youths to strive for what they believe in, and to never give up on their dreams. His poetry book "Times Have Changed and Life is Strange" and his novel "Monster" are currently used in schools on the lower east side of Manhattan. Ben Burgess has a BA degree in Business Management, and a MA degree in Educational Leadership. He is the proud father of his daughter Jaelynn and is active in trying to improve urban neighborhoods and communities. facebook.com/BenBurgessJr Twitter: Ben_Burgess_Jr

Thursday, 30 April 2015

I confess that I was never a great romance reader
until I started working with ace romance writer J Kahele. Before
that, I stuck to books written from a masculine perspective. We wrote
a book together that we classed contemporary romance, although
admittedly she looked after much of the romance side and I did the
comedy and action. Although we did swap roles at times and I found
myself writing some romance. I came into contact with the very
talented romance writer Samna Ghani and it is my pleasure to honestly
review some of her works.

Well, I gave her 5 stars for her delightful
novella “One Of Those Days” and because I liked “'Tis But A
Dream” even more, again I give max points. Beautifully written and
I confess highly moving, there were tears in my eyes by the end.
Samna creates beautiful characters that you are rooting for. Although
her work has a fairytale element there is a realism to her plots, in
that her portraits of the best and the worst of human nature are spot
on. Snow Donovan obtains a good job as Assistant Editor for
Healthplus. She instantly falls for the handsome CEO Richard Wilder,
constantly going to pieces around him. She is very good at her job
but her hostile line manager, Cindy Shaw, makes her life a misery.
Cindy gives Snow impossible deadlines and constant criticism. Richard
is supportive but detached. Snow feels overpowering emotions and
feelings for Richard, but they appear not to be reciprocated.

This is vivid, entertaining writing with the all
important feel-good factor. If Cindy represents all that is bad in
human beings, Snow and Richard represent the good and decency all
humans are capable of. An accomplished chick-flick, I recommend this
to my fellow men; you won't go wrong with this as a guide for your
dealings with matters of the heart. There is a kindness and
benevolence in Samna's writing and I was enriched by engaging with
this charming tale.

The Unraveling of Shelby Forrest

by Donna Friess

"As someone who has adopted children, I found this emotionally charged, complex first novel, written by award winning author, Donna Friess, draws you in immediately and holds you in its' thrall from the first page to the last. The author explores the grief, guilt and pain of giving up a baby for adoption and the secrets that can tear apart a marriage." Leanne A., CA

Saturday, 28 March 2015

As promised, I am reading and reviewing again. I introduce you to 'Façade' a wonderful novel by the equally wonderful J. Kahele. We have written a book together, 'Crazy On You' and we are now writing the sequel. Our collaboration has been a great success; somehow our styles compliment each other and working together is a delight. Obviously I love her work, you wouldn't believe how versatile and prolific she is as a writer. Probably best known as a romance writer she can actually nail any genre. She has recently released Façade's sequel. So to the review...

Another
brilliant romantic tale from J. Kahele, this book has it all;
romance, drama, intrigue, (very) steamy sex, comedy, and a realism
that swings from dizzying highs to crashing lows. It is escapist
romance at its best, it will tug at your heartstrings and you will no
doubt recognise at least an aspect of yourself in the two main
characters of Liam and Ally.

Although
I am very different to him, I saw that I share many of Liam's traits,
maybe some I have left in the past and others I don't act out upon,
the important thing is, he was a character I could relate to. So
incredibly handsome and successful people can be as insecure as me!
The book is called 'Facade' and is about the many masks we wear;
reality is not what it appears to be. Handsome, powerful, successful,
has his pick of gorgeous women - Liam Sheldon wears a confident mask
befitting his status and envied lifestyle. However, this turns out to
all be a sham. His former fiancée, Kate, (a nasty piece of work)
betrayed and cheated on him. It broke his heart and he only pulled
through by focusing on career and success. He has been terrified to
fall in love again and this he avoids until he meets Ally.

Ally
is a beautiful, feisty young woman, he first encounters in a very
funny scene when he nearly runs her over. At first they despise each
other, but keep meeting each other, as it turns out that Ally is one
of his employees. Ally is feisty, spirited, with a hot temper, and
she won't hold back when something angers her. Liam is an arrogant
control freak. But they both turn out to be genuine and kind-hearted
people, both deeply hurt in their previous relationships. They are
drawn to one another. They begin a tempestuous, passionate, on-off
relationship - where they constantly hurt one another, ironically,
caused by their own insecurity and jealousy. Will they ultimately
stay together or will they part? Find out for yourselves, the ending
is astonishing and powerful.

The
wonderful paradox of 'Facade' is that although it is about the masks
people wear, how we are constantly deceived by one another, Liam and
Ally share a love that is real. They love each other, confounding
themselves, with an intensity and heartfelt sincerity that could last
them their whole lives. They perpetually remove their masks for one
another to reveal their true selves - vulnerable and very human. The
destructive streak within them is the façade. Liam's mantra that
“Success is built on greatness not weakness!” is one that
actually brings him emptiness. The only thing that is real is his
love for Ally. I liked Liam and Ally because although they could be
infuriating they were so genuine.

I
totally enjoyed this bitter-sweet romance. J Kahele writes with a
humour that is so funny because it has its roots in reality. If you
like your sex served with unreserved pure sensuality, then this book
will delight you. J Kahele is one of the most skilled interpreters of
this much loved activity. Highly enjoyable writing. Yes, I have
written a book with J. Kahele, which I think reinforces my personal endorsement of this novel and admiration of its many merits. J Kahele is a simply superb writer and delivers yet another entertaining, provocative and accomplished novel.

Book Description

When John was seven, he found Candy dancing in the neighboring yard wearing a yellow polka-dot bikini and red rain galoshes, splashing and dancing and singing at the top of her lungs. She saved his throat from getting ripped out by her grandma’s guard dog. Good thing she did, too. It was John who raised the alarm that day, when the man who smiled with his mouth but not his eyes drove off with Candy in a cloud of dust. The police stopped whatever might have happened next in a seedy motel—a place Candy doesn’t dare remember. John rescued her, creating a bond between two friends strong enough to awaken…something.

Years later, John and Candy begin to suspect something more sinister lurking amidst the days of football glory and the nights of clandestine rendezvous. John discovers disturbing symbols from the ancient tribes indigenous to the area in his history textbook, in a local cave system, and in his very dreams. Candy uncovers a family history that is more colorful than she knew. If shades of black are colorful.

If only the two friends could foresee the danger looming before them. For another something, one much more dangerous than the first, is waking up to continue the cycle.Murder forces everyone out of sunny valley torpor, and Candy realizes that more than acquaintance connects her with the killer. When a corpse is found, gutted as if for ritual, she knows that whatever evil has overtaken her hometown is moving forward. She will have to exorcise the haunting herself—though she has no idea how—and she will need John’s predestined help to do it. Candy will have to face the memories of that seedy motel room first. At least she finally understands the power she never knew she had—a link to her departed mother and a line of healers shrouded in pre-history.

About the Author

Sarah Wathen is an artist turned author. She was trained in Classical Painting at the University of Central Florida, and received her Master’s in Fine Art from Parsons School of Design in New York City. If Florida was where she discovered her passion, New York was the place she found her voice. “Writing a book was my obvious next step, once I realized I’d been trying to tell stories with pictures for years,” she says about transitioning from visual artist to novelist. “Painting with words is even more fun than painting with oil.” Sarah lives in Florida with her husband, son, and at least a dozen imaginary friends from her novels. A painter at heart, her books incorporate art judicially, both in narrative content and supporting materials. Her characters are derived from the people and places that have influenced her own life—at least one beloved pet makes it into every book—but the stories they live will take you places you have never imagined, and won’t want to leave.

Thursday, 19 March 2015

Hello, sorry I have been a bit quiet of late. I will be reviewing four new books over the next two weeks on this blog. Currently reading at breakneck speed and enjoying every minute of it!

I am writing the sequel to 'Crazy On You' with J Kahele. We are both delighted with it at the moment.

Lastly, my three kindle books are rather competitively priced. Check out the links and if you like what you see...well, be my guest! Catch up with you again soon. Thank you for your continued support of my reviews.